Carbon steels used in refinery service undergo corrosion by sulfur compounds and carboxylic acids, especially naphthenic acids, present in crudes and distillate fractions. Many newly available crudes have high concentrations of these corrosive species, and as a result, carry a lower cost on a per barrel basis. Consequently, there is an economic incentive in processing these crudes, provided that the material costs, because of corrosion, can be minimized. Highly alloyed steels, such as 316 or 317 stainless steel, are an approach, but these materials are so expensive as to make the processing of acidic, sulfur beating crudes too costly. Therefore, a real incentive exists for processing crudes and distillates containing sulfur and naphthenic acids with relatively inexpensive materials.